Marine ice plant



FIREA BILGE PUMP March 3, 1953 J. A. BONNINGTON ET A1. 2,630,091

MARINE ICE PLANT Filed May 21, 194e 5 sheets-sheet' 1 STATEROOM GENERAL STORAGE DOWN WOOHILVi WOOHELLVJS JNVENToRs. O J.A.BONN|NGT0N a H.o.wARL |cK ATTORNEY J. A. BONNINGTON ET A1. 2,630,091

March 3, `1953 MARINE ICE PLANT 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 21. 1948 mU-muO March 3, 1953 J. A. BoNNlNGToN ET AL 2,630,091

MARINE ICE PLANT Filed May 21, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS J.A. BONNINGTON & VH.O.WARL\CK March 3, 1953 J. A. BoNNlNGToN ET AL 2,530,091

MARINE ICE PLANT Filed May 21, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 i. Nimm m||||||u|||||||||||||||||| U II IIIIlIl llllll ATTORNEY March 3, 1953 J. A. BoNNlNGToN ET AL 2,630,091

MARINE ICE PLANT Filed May 21, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lOl INVENToRs J.A.BONN|NGTQN a. H.O.wARLl|cK ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 3, 1953 OFF I CE 2,530,091 MARINE ICE PLANT James A. Bennington, Washington, D. C., and Hulon O. Warlick, Jr., Arlington, Va.

Application May 21, 1948, Serial No. 28,438

4 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigeration and the production of ice, and more particularly to a selfcontained, mobile, ice manufacturing plant.

The invention particularly contemplates the installation of anice manufacturing plant aboard ship, or in other words a marine ice plant.

Heretofore when ice has been required it has been customary to obtain the same from a iixed location. Frequently it has become desirable to have ice at a parti-cular locati-on, which may or may not have justified year-round facilities for producing such ice at that location.

lt is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile, self-contained ice manufacturing plant which can be used in a particular location as long as it is necessary or desired, and can be readily moved to another vantage point when the occasion arises.

Some of our industries are very seasonal and for a relatively short `period require large quant/ities of ice, while for relatively long periods no ice or a substantially small amount of ice is required. In some warmer climates a particular harvest of perishable crops may make it desirable to have an abundance of ice in a relatively short time.

The installation on a marine vessel of an ice manufacturing plant likewise presents certain problems, including those of distribution oi weight, the most elli-cient arrangement of equipment for maximum utilization of space within the li-iuits and confines of the vessel, the arrangement of the parts to have them freely accessible, the provision of necessary ice storage facilities, the complete freezing, dumping of ice cans, `the preventing of excessive movement of fluid used in conjunction with the system including brine, compensation for the ships movement includinfr rolling, the cooling of the heat-emitting parts of the system, the heating of parts for facilitating ice removal, the novel use of fluid ballast contained in the bilges in keeping the yship steady, and the like.

Further objects and advantages of the inven- -ition will be apparent from the lfollowingl descrip- -tion taken in conjunction with the accompany- 'ing drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a vessel from amidships aft, containing an ice manufacturing in stalla-tion, the main and top decks being removed for purposes of installation;

Fig. 2, a similar view of a vessel from amidships ioreward of the vessel of Fig. 1, with the top deck partially broken away and the roof of `the decl; house omitted;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of amidships aft .with the starboard side omitted to reveal the ships interior;

Fig. 4., a side elevation of amidships :foreward `with parts broken .away to reveal the ships in- .tc-rior;

Fia 5, a egrep-emv? Qf e dump .fer its @aus and `a dip tank for melting ice so that it can. :be relthe associated piping by means of which. warm condenser water is admitted and an overflow permitted to be discharged;

Fig. "l, a perspective ci an ice chute for transferring cakes of ice from an upper to a lower deck;

Fig. 8, an enlarged fragmentary detail perspective of the actuating means for the switchgate of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9, a top plan View or" the structure of IFig. 7;

Fig. 10, a diagrammatic detail of ship-steadying means used on conjunction with the present invention, and

Fig. 11, a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the cooling means for the cold storage rooms and the connections to the brine pump permitting utilization thereof for multiple purposes.

With continued reference to the drawings, the character of the vessel on which the ice plant is installed is dependent upon numerous factors. However, as illustrated in the drawings a vessel which is relatively strong and seaworthy, is readily adaptable for use in very shall-ow water as, for example, a type of vessel used for landing troops on beachheads and in shallow water. As shown the vessel consists of a bow Ill, a stern I I, a starboard side I 2, and a port side I3.

Figs. 1 to 4 are largely schematic in nature and are intended to show` the arrangement of the various elements and machines within the .hull of the vessel. Figs. 1 and 2 show such arrangement in plan and Figs. 3 and e in elevation, the latter two figures not being true sectional views, fbut merely having the starboard side of the vessel removed. Figs. 2 and Ll are not exact continuations of Figs. l and 2 there being a portion of the ainidships section omitted since this is not considered necessary to a full understanding of the invention.

Control of the vessel may be accomplished from a pilot house I4 having a hurricane bridge I5. The vessel is equipped with twin rudders IB and a steering engine It for steering the same, twin screws or propellers I'I for driving or producing motion of the vessel. The screws of propellers and rudders are protected by skegs IB.

The aforementioned parts are partially in the hollow tunnel stern I9 of the vessel, thereby allowing it to traverse shallow waters. The hollow tunnel stern I5 is an integral part of the ships bottom 2li and also aids in floating the ship, when aground, by creating a large wave or swell, when reversing the engines of a size large enough to wash the sand away and float the ship.

The screws or propellers I'I are driven through `propeller shafts 2I from twin sets of power or propelling engines 22 which serve the dual purpose of driving the vessel and operating reiriger ation equipment. The power-propelling engines t are each 220-horsepower diesels from which there is a power takeoff shaft 23 which drives a countershaft 2li by means of a series of V-belts 25 running over pulleys 2% and 2l. The countershaft 2d is used to drive a ships generator 28 and an ammonia or other refrigerant compressor 29 by means of V-belts 3u and 3i running on pulleys 32, 33, 34 and 35, respectively. rlChe shafts 23 and 22d are mounted in suitable bearings 35 and 3"! of conventional construction.

'She refrigeration and ships machinery are housed in two compartments 33 and 39 which comprise the ships engine rooms located in the att end of the vessel, and below the main deck.

The ship is provided with an auxiliary generator lil which may be used in the event of the breakdown of the main system. Also enclosed in compartment 38 is a re and bilge pump il which may be used in event of i'ire aboard ship or in trimming or levellingr the ship at anchor. Nithin the compartment 39 is housed a corn- 4pressor #l2 of a smaller ice plant which also includes a condenser 43. From the condenser d3 a pipe del extends forwardly of the vessel and i serves to conduct Warm condenser water into port and starboard dip tanks and 4S, respectively. These dip tanks are provided with overflow pipes il located substantially midway of the height of the tanks, the pipes id entering the tanks nearer their bottoms. Associated with the dip tanks i5 and 46 are port and starboard can dumps i8 and 49, respectively, which are used to discharge ice from the cans 5t in which it is manufactured.

The can dumps are identical, consequently we will describe can dump 43 which consists of a rectangular receptacle open at its upper end and mounted on a pair of spaced VA frames 5I, and pivoted at 52. If desired the A frames may be supported on elevating blocks 53.

From the can dumps d8 and 4S ice is directed to desired locations, as for example through a door opening 5d closed by an insulating door in the insulated wall 56 of a cold storage compartment 5l' located below the main deck 53. In its travel from the port can dump i8 the cake or block of ice is discharged onto an operating platform or deck 59; thence it passes through the door opening 54 down through chute iid, along chute ti, through the gate 62 loaded by means of a spring 62', up the chute 63 and down chute es into the storage compartment 5T. In the after end of the cold storage coinpartment 5l is provided a service door E5 for ready access to the interior of this compartment.

An ice crusher et is located in the forward end. of the cold storage compartment 5'! and crushed ice is transferred or conveyed Vfrom this comfpartrnent in the vicinity of the Crusher by means of a conveyor 61 which travels on pulleys 58 and 59 driven by a motor 10 by means of a V belt li.

Crushed ice is discharged from the conveyor 6l' into the cold storage and unloading room 'i2 in which room ice in cake or other form is stored for convenient disposition either for unloading or subsequent other use, loe may be removed or unloaded from the cold storage and unloading room i2 through a door 73 onto a dock or other vessel. On the bridge or top deck 'E11 there is mounted a small ice machine 'i5 having a chute i5 through which small particles of ice may be discharged into the cold storage and unloading room i2, the small ice machine 'i5 being prefer- 4 ably enclosed in a housing or room Ti. The ice discharged from the small ice machine through the chute 16 is collected in a bin lil for containing the ice for subsequent use. 1Ihe ice within the storage bin 18 consists of smaller particles than that produced by the crushing operation and is for different uses. The smaller ice may be used in drinks, while the crushed ice may be used in connection with the shipping of sh, in soda fountains or the like.

The large ice plant on the vess-el in addition to the compressor 29 driven from the main power plant or the vessel, includes an evaporative con denser Bil to which the condensed refrigerant is supplied through pipes not shown. The condensed refrigerant from the condenser dit is supplied t'o refrigerating coils 8l which serve tov refrigerate the brine in the refrigerating tank 12 sufficiently tol reduce temperature in the ice cans 50 submerged the-rein to cause the ice to form, or in other words, the water in the cans to congeal into ice. The ice cans 5! are lowered into and elevated from the freezing tank B2 by means of cables 83 on a mono-rail hoist Se which travels transversely ci the vessel on a single rail 35 and travels longitudinally of the vessel on spaced rails ii.

The vessel is provided with conventional port and starboard bilge compartments Si and ES, these compartments being normally empty, However, certain of these are partially iilled with liquid in the present instance and this liquid is transported from one portion of the vessel to the other from the port 4to the starboard side' or vice versa as needed for proper balance. The transfer of liquid from the port to the starboard side or vice versa is accomplished by means of a gear pump 39 which draws liquid through one of its pipes 96 or 9i and `discharges liquid through the other. In other words, the suction side of the pump may draw in liquid through the pipe 9% from the port side of the vessel and discharge the same into the starboard side or remove th liquid from starboard bilges and ydischarge th sameinto port bilges.

In order to control the operation yof the puinpwhich may be a conventional gear pump in accordance with the needs of the vessel or the load contained thereon, the Ipump may be driven by a reversible moto-r d2 and in cooperation with a control stabilizer. The stabilizer consists of a housing 93 and a pendulum 91% having an adjust able collar or weight 95 ther-ecn, the adjustment of which serves to shorten or lengthen the penduluin lto change its rate of oscillation. Iljhe pendulum 94 is mounted on a pivot Sii in the upper end of the housing 93. To the upper end of the pendulum is iixed a pair of circuit form ing conductors di, one of which is connected to an adjustable contact 98 in the housing al. When the ship lists to port, the housing `Sii will move therewith and cause contact 9S and the pendulum to engage thus completing through the motor $2 to operate the pump 2. A similar cir cuit contact 99 is disposed on the opposite or starboard side of the housing S3 and when the ship lists to starboard a like circuit is completed through the motor causing it to rotate in ythe reverse direction; consequently due to the resulting transfer of ballast the ship will be maintained stabilized. When the ship is in a level position the pendulum will be suspended in spaced relam tion between each of the contacts Q8 and @Si and the pump will be inoperative.

In Fig. 1l there are shown the various conment, a power plant for operating said refrigerating system, a relatively shallow elongated brine tank of a width substantially corresponding to that of the vessel and extending lengthwise thereof, a hoist for conveying cans of ice from the brine tank to the ice storage compartment, temperature modifying means associated with the ice storage compartment for melting ice in the cans suiiciently to permit the ready removal of said ice and the dumping thereof in said storage compartment, a brine pump for circulating' brine from the brine tank through said rei'rigerating coils for maintaining desired conditions or temperature in the storage compartment, a conduit system for selectively pumping liquid from the brine tank, from the bilge compartments and from the sea through^ refrigerating coils for selectively refrigerating nea said coils for defrosting purposes, and automatic leveling mechanism including a pendulum and spaced opposed contact members for making and breaking an electrical circuit in accordance with the position of the vessel, said rector driven reversible pump being operatively connected with said pendulum control and opposed members for producing movement oi water between the port and starboard bilge tanks for stabilizing the vessel to maintain a substantially even level of liquid in said brine tank.

3. A mobile ice manufacturing plant comprising a vessel having Walls defining ice production, unloading and storage compartments port and starboard bilge compartments, a con-- duit connecting said bilge compartments and providing communication therebetween, a r'iotor driven reversible pump in said conduit, a r erating system including refrigerating located 'in said ice unloading and conipartrnents, a power plant for operating said refrigerating System, an elongated relatively shallow brine tank of a Width substantially corresponding to the width of the vessel and eX- tending lengthwise thereoi, a tank in said unloading compartment, a hoist for conveying cans of ice from brine tank; to nir, temperature modifying means associated h said dip tank for melting ice in the cans s'y ciently to permit the ready removal of ice therefrom and dumping of said ice into said storage compartment, a brine pump for circulating brine from the brine tank through the reirigerating coils for maintaining desired conditions or" ternperature in said unloading and storage compartments, a conduit system for selectively7 pumping .liquid from the brine tank, from the bilge coinpartments and from the sea through the rcirigerating coils for selectively reirigerating and heating said coils for defrosting purposes, and automatic leveling mechanism including a pendulum control and opposed contact members for making and breaking an electrical circuit in accor-dance with the position of the vessel, said motor driven reversible pump being operativenr connected with said pendulum control and opposed contact members for producing movement of Water between said port and starboard bilge tanks for stabilizing the vessel to maintain a substantially even level of liquid in said brine and dip tanks.

4. A nobile ice manufacturing comprising a vessel having walls defining port and starboard bilge compartments and ice production, storage and unloading compartments, a refrigerating system including a compressor and an evaporative condenser, a Ships power plant for contact operating said refrigerating system, an elongated relative shallow brine tank of a width substantially corresponding to that of the vessel and extending lengthwise thereof, an operating platiorrn located at a higher elevation rearwardly of said brine tank, at least one dip tank and ice can dump on said platform, a hoist movable transversely and longitudinally 0i' said brine tank for conveying cans of ice from the brine tank to the dip tank and then to the can dump, temperature modifying means associated with the dip tank for melting ice in the cans sumciently to permit ready removal and dumping thereof into the can dump, means for directing ice .from the dump into an unloading and storage compartinent located in substantially the saine horizontal plane as the brine tank and including slide- Ways for providing an indirect path for lowering the ice gradually into a second storage compartnient, an ice Crusher in said second storage compartment, a conveyor for transfering crushed ice from the second storage compartment upwardly into the ice unloading and storage compartment, means for discharging ice vfrom said cans directly into said unloading and storage compartment for supplementation of the crushed ice received therein from the second storage compartment, a brine pump for circulating brine from said brine tank in contact with ,refrigerating coils disposed in the unloading and storage compartments for maintaining refrigerated conditions of temperature in coinpartments, a conduit system for selectively pumping liquid from the brine tank, from the izilge compartments and from the sea through the reirigerating coils for selectively refrigerating and heating said coils .for deirosting purposes, a conduit connecting the port and starboard bilge tanks and providing communication therebetween, a motor driven reversible pump in said conduit, and automatic leveling mechanism including a pendulum control and spaced opposed contact members :for making and breaking an electrical circuit in accordance with the position of the vessel, said motor driven reversible pump being operatively associated with said pendulum control and opposed contact ineinbers for producing movement or water bet een said port and starboard bilge tanks for stabilizing the vessel to maintain a substantially even level of liquid in said brine and dip tanks.

JAMES A. BGNNINGTON. HULON C. WARLCK, Je.

REFERENCES CTED The following references are or" record in the nie of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 607,755 Rankin July 1, 1398 990,591 Ray Apr. 25, 1911 1,628,947 Buehler et al. May 17, 1927 1,700,406 Hammond Jan. 29, 1929 1,985,518 Royden Dec. 25, 193e 1,997,341 Perinan Apr. 9, 1935 2,017,072 Minorsky Oct. i5, 1.33.5

2,413,918 Harris Jan, 7, 19M

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 436,361 Germany Oct. 3G, 1926 Aorrore REFERENCES Ser. No. 132,695, H. Hort (A. P. C.) published May 11, 1943. 

